How to rock climbing

Paul recently sent “Big Paw” V15 in Chironico, Switzerland.  This was the fourth ascent of the line (1st – Dave Graham, 2nd – Dai Koyomada 3rd – Adam Ondra). Congratulations to PRob on his latest!

Big Paw is a large prow in Chironico. The climb begins low and climbs the prow to its point at approximately 15 feet off the ground. Big Paw is one of the most exciting and amazing climbs I have ever climbed on. The beginning is very hard and powerful and the top is technical and crimpy. I climbed the full line in 3 days and had to brush snow off of the top out last night to make it possible to climb on today. It was so cold today that the remaining snow on the top out did not melt which made it possible for me to make the ascent. I have 20 days left in Switzerland and way too many boulders I want to climb!

~Paul

UPDATE:

Yesterday, I managed to make the fourth ascent of Dave Graham’s “Big Pawâ�� in Chironico. This line has been one that I have been really psyched to climb on ever since first seeing it a little over 2 years ago. I climbed the stand start, “Boogalaga” about a month ago and was psyched to come back and try the sit. With so many other boulders in CH to try it took me until the other day to get back to work the moves out on the sit. I quickly figured out a nice sequence that worked for me and came very close to sending that day.

Snow was in the forecast for the next day but fortunately the weather said it would never be above freezing. That night I wandered out to the boulder at around 10 pm with a hand-made broom in hand along with my head lamp and lantern. I managed to clean a bit of an exit area in which to top out if I managed to send the following day.

The following day was perfect. It was freezing cold and never went above freezing so the remaining snow on the top out didn’t drip. I managed to send that afternoon and endured one of the scariest and iciest top outs of my life. I crawled to the peak of the boulder grasping chunks of snow and ice. But none of it mattered, I was so psyched to have sent such a brilliant line with my good friend mickey and dave jones there. The day was perfect and I could not have asked for more perfect conditions.

I am exhausted today and will be resting. I still have a few climbs left that I am psyched for! I hope to finish off the list before my departure to Font on Dec. 20! C’monnnnnnnnn weather!

A massive video with big paw, dreamtime, and la proue comng soon!

~Paul